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With lengthened camp, Blue Jays taking it light

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By Anthony Castrovince

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Buses for the Blue Jays' practice fields left around 9 a.m. ET Thursday morning. By 11:30 a.m., all the buses had returned and many of the players were either in the showers or out on the street.

Not that other teams are burning the midnight oil this time of year, but the Blue Jays' workouts in this camp have been a bit on the shorter side. And that's by design, especially in a camp lengthened by the World Baseball Classic.

"That's just the way I like to do it," manager John Gibbons said. "It's a long spring anyway, with the guys who are down here earlier. I believe in getting your work done, and they're working hard in PFPs [pitchers' fielding practices] or whatever it is. Get it done and get out of here. No use hanging out at the field all day, because that's when you get tired legs, sore legs and all that."

Gibbons has seen no issues with the effort level of this club. And obviously the players are free to do extra work on their own. On Thursday morning, for example, R.A. Dickey asked a couple of coaches to join him on the main field and work on pickoffs and PFPs. Several other guys were in the weight room or doing cardio or taking cuts in the cages.

"They work hard," Gibbons said. "This day and age, they're in shape when they show up. They're ready to go."